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Webinars Micro-Segmentation Implementation – Taking the Leap from Strategy to Execution Micro-segmentation helps protect the enterprise network against the lateral movement of malware and insider threats. Maybe you’re in the process of developing a micro-segmentation strategy or just about to start a micro-segmentation project, but don’t know where to begin and concerned about mistakes along the way. In this practical webinar, Professor Avishai Wool, AlgoSec CTO and co-founder, will walk you through each step of your micro-segmentation project – from developing the right micro-segmentation strategy to successfully implementing and maintaining your micro-segmented network. Join our live webinar to learn: Why micro-segmentation is a critical part of your network security posture. Common pitfalls in micro-segmentation projects and how to avoid them. The stages of a successful micro-segmentation project. How to monitor and maintain your micro-segmented network. The role of policy management, change management, and automation in micro-segmentation. Prof. Avishai Wool CTO & Co Founder AlgoSec Relevant resources How to Structure Network Objects to Plan for Future Policy Growth Watch Video Data Center Segmentation Best Practices Watch Video Microsegmentation - Ongoing Maintenance Watch Video Create & Manage a Micro-Segmented Data Center – Best Practices Keep Reading Microsegmentation for Network Security – AlgoSec / SANS Webinar Keep Reading Choose a better way to manage your network Choose a better way to manage your network Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Continue

A ZeroTrust network architecture mitigates risk by only providing the minimally required access to your network resources But implementing it is easier said than done Webinars Micro-segmentation – from Strategy to Execution Organizations heavily invest in security solutions to keep their networks safe, but still struggle to close the security gaps. Micro-segmentation helps protect against the lateral movement of malware and minimizes the risk of insider threats. Micro-segmentation has received lots of attention as a possible solution, but many IT security professionals aren’t sure where to begin or what approach to take. In this practical webinar, Prof. Avishai Wool, AlgoSec’s CTO and co-founder will guide you through each stage of a micro-segmentation project – from developing the correct micro-segmentation strategy to effectively implementing it and continually maintaining your micro-segmented network. Register now for this live webinar and get a practical blueprint to creating your micro-segmentation policy: What is micro-segmentation. Common pitfalls in micro-segmentation projects and how to avoid them. The stages of a successful micro-segmentation project. The role of policy change management and automation in micro-segmentation. Don’t forget to also click on the links in the Attachments tab. July 7, 2020 Prof. Avishai Wool CTO & Co Founder AlgoSec Relevant resources Microsegmentation Defining Logical Segments Watch Video Micro-Segmentation based Network Security Strategies Keep Reading Choose a better way to manage your network Choose a better way to manage your network Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Continue

Webinars 5 proven ways to secure your hybrid network environment during team convergence Cloud and datacenter security teams are now one, but the tools, workflows, and policies haven’t caught up. Join ESG Principal Analyst John Grady alongside AlgoSec’s Field CTO Kyle Wickert and Product Manager Gal Yosef for a practical conversation on how leading organizations are tackling the operational challenges of security convergence. What you’ll learn: Why convergence between cloud and datacenter teams is accelerating How to reduce tool overload and policy inconsistencies What steps are teams taking to unify visibility, policy, and risk without slowing down delivery July 16, 2025 John Grady Principal Analyst | ESG Gal Yosef Product Manager | AlgoSec Kyle Wickert WW Strategic Architect Relevant resources 6 best practices to stay secure in the hybrid cloud Read Document Securing & managing hybrid network security See Documentation 6 must-dos to secure the hybrid cloud Read Document Choose a better way to manage your network Choose a better way to manage your network Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Continue

Technology is advancing rapidly – which is good – but it also exposes your organization to new security threats that can jeopardize... Cloud Security Cybersecurity Mesh Architecture (CSMA) Explained Rony Moshkovich 2 min read Rony Moshkovich Short bio about author here Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Vitae donec tincidunt elementum quam laoreet duis sit enim. Duis mattis velit sit leo diam. Tags Share this article 8/14/23 Published Technology is advancing rapidly – which is good – but it also exposes your organization to new security threats that can jeopardize sensitive information. For instance, there’s a good chance your organization has moved to multi-cloud computing environments and you’re also considering (or have adopted) the Internet of Things (IoT). In addition, remote work and bring your own device (BYOD) policies have become quite popular. All these changes mean one thing – attackers are constantly finding new ways of exploiting your defenses. To adapt, your organization must respond with equally innovative ways to strengthen your security posture. This is where Cybersecurity Mesh Architecture (CSMA) comes in. Implementing CSMA allows organizations to fortify their security infrastructure and create resilient defense mechanisms against modern threats. That’s why we’ll discuss everything about Cybersecurity Mesh Architecture. We’ll also cover actionable tips to implement CSMA. What is Cybersecurity Mesh Architecture? Cybersecurity Mesh Architecture (CSMA) is a security concept proposed by Gartner. It is described by Garner as “a composable and scalable approach to extending security controls, even to widely distributed assets.” What this means is that CSMA solves the problem of security silos. For example, many organizations use a security system of multiple integrated security solutions. This increases overhead costs, makes the entire security architecture complex to manage, and then it becomes difficult to monitor cybersecurity risks. This is why CSMA is a “composable” approach that provides a flexible and collaborative security ecosystem to secure a modern, distributed enterprise. So, instead of having security tools and controls running independently, a cybersecurity mesh allows them to interoperate through multiple supportive layers like consolidated policy management, centralized security intelligence & governance, analytics & enforcement, and a common identity fabric. As such, a centralized, decentralized security approach is a suitable name for cybersecurity mesh. How Does CSMA Work? The traditional approach to security deployments is complex. For example, every large organization has an average of 47 different cybersecurity tools within its environments. That means more resources and more effort from security teams managing integrations. On the other hand, CSMA makes security more cohesive and collaborative. This means your organization no longer needs as many resources to fortify its security. But to achieve this, CSMA has four foundational layers: Security Analytics & Intelligence This layer collects and analyzes data from security tools to provide threat analysis and trigger incident responses in your organization. Since CSMA offers centralized administration, vast data sets can be collected, aggregated, and analyzed from a central place. This is particularly possible with Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) software that offers real-time threat analytics and automated event alerts. Distributed Identity Fabric This layer includes identity capabilities like identity proofing, user entitlement management, and adaptive access. It provides the security framework with decentralized directory services crucial to implementing a zero-trust model. Consolidated Policy & Posture Management This layer translates a central policy into configurations and rules for each environment or tool. Alternatively, it can provide dynamic runtime authorization services. Hence, IT teams can quickly identify compliance risks and any misconfiguration concerns. Consolidated Dashboards When disconnected security tools are integrated, your security teams would often need to switch between multiple dashboards, which can slow down operations. However, with this layer, they can have a single-pane dashboard that provides a comprehensive ecosystem view. This makes it easier to respond quicker and more effectively to security events. Benefits of Cybersecurity Mesh Architecture (CSMA) – Why Should You Implement it? Cybersecurity mesh architecture promises many beneficial outcomes for your security architecture. This includes improved threat detection, more efficient incident response, a consistent security policy, and adaptive access control systems. Let’s discuss the benefits of cybersecurity mesh. These benefits also highlight why you should consider implementing it. More Flexibility and Scalability Cybersecurity mesh architecture solutions are designed to offer a more flexible and scalable security response to increased digitization. This enables your organization’s security team to keep pace with the evolving distributed IT infrastructure. Improved Collaboration Part of CSMA’s goals is to improve collaboration and interoperability between your organization’s security solutions. This improves your organization’s threat detection, incident response, and prevention. Consistent Security Architecture With CSMA, your organization has more consistent security through tool connections. This is because the approach allows for security to be extended as needed. So, you’ll have consistent and uniform protection of constantly evolving and growing infrastructure. Increased Effectiveness and Efficiency Cybersecurity mesh seamlessly integrates your organization’s security architecture, removing the need for security personnel to always switch between multiple tools. As you’d expect, this improves the configuration, utilization, and deployment. Your security teams will become more efficient and can redirect time and resources to other essential security tasks. Supports Identity and Access Management (IAM) CSMA supports the deployment and efficacy of identity and access management controls. This is particularly important if your organization has distributed assets that must be properly protected and seek a more robust and reliable method of securing your access points beyond the conventional security perimeters. CSMA empowers your organization to address these challenges, providing advanced capabilities to ensure the integrity and reliability of your security infrastructure. Simplified Implementation Cybersecurity mesh presents a well-suited approach to simplifying security measures’ design, deployment, and maintenance. CSMA establishes a foundational framework for the efficient deployment and configuration of new security solutions. Plus, this architecture’s inherent flexibility and adaptability allow it to evolve and align with evolving business and security requirements dynamically. How to Implement Cybersecurity Mesh Architecture: Best Practices and Considerations Gartner’s cybersecurity mesh architecture concept is an emerging approach to organization security. This means specifications, requirements, and standards for implementation are still evolving. Nonetheless, there are a few considerations and best practices that your organizations can take on board. Organizations that start now are bound to reap the benefits as technology evolves and more threats continue to emerge. Here are some best practices for implementing cybersecurity mesh: 1. Evaluate vendor tools and their compatibility with CSMA Thinking of CSMA implementation? Then it’s essential first to thoroughly evaluate the available vendor tools. You must assess their features, capabilities, and, most importantly, their compatibility with the unique requirements of your CSMA deployment. Carefully selecting tools that work as part of a larger security framework rather than an independent silo will help. This is why it’s recommended to select vendors with an excellent track record of updating their systems to the latest security standards. 2. Security team readiness and training for CSMA adoption Like it or not, the success of your CSMA implementation depends heavily on how prepared your security team is. Are they ready for the change? It’s important to provide the necessary training that allows each member and the entire team to understand the intricacies of CSMA, including how it will work in your organization. 3. Conduct an Asset Protection Inventory Part of the considerations for your CSMA implementation should include conducting a comprehensive inventory of your organization’s assets. Here, you’ll identify and categorize the critical systems, data, and resources that require protection. Doing this will help you understand the areas where CSMA must be prioritized. It further allows you to allocate resources effectively and maximize security coverage across the organization. 4. Consider Costs Every digital transformation has its costs, especially when you must redesign your organization’s entire architecture or infrastructure. So, it’s important to consider the immediate costs and temporary downtime you may encounter. However, if you like looking at the long term, then implementing cybersecurity mesh outweighs the initial costs. 5. Evaluate Organization Appetite for the Transformation Before embarking on the journey of implementing CSMA, it is imperative to evaluate your organization’s appetite for transformation. What does this mean? Assess the level of commitment, resources, and support available to drive the implementation process effectively. Understanding the organizational readiness and obtaining buy-in from key stakeholders will significantly contribute to the success of your CSMA deployment. 6. Leverage Access Control Measures Use access control measures, such as multi-factor authentication (MFA) and Zero Trust Network Access, with appropriate audit procedures for each access request. This allows you to control access to data, ensuring only authorized users have access to your organization’s assets. It also helps you monitor each access request independently to dig out malicious activity. 7. Set KPIs and Track Them Just like any endeavor, it’s important to establish Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) from the onset. It is the only way to know the CSMA you’ve implemented actually works and delivers the intended results. Your organization must identify and track the metrics essential to your overall business objectives. However, keep in mind that KPIs might have different levels. The KPIs your security teams will track typically differ from what the CISO reports at the board level. While security teams evaluate your overall cybersecurity resiliency, the CISO examines how the CSMA strategy impacts business outcomes. Conclusion According to Gartner, organizations that have successfully implemented a cybersecurity mesh architecture by 2024 will reduce the financial impact of individual security incidents by 90 percent ! So, what are you waiting for? As technology continues to evolve, so will new threats. And malicious actors are constantly finding loopholes around the traditional approach to security. Ready to make the change? Prevasio is your trusted partner for consolidated security across your cloud environments. Speak to us now to learn how we can help you. Schedule a demo Related Articles 2025 in review: What innovations and milestones defined AlgoSec’s transformative year in 2025? AlgoSec Reviews Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Navigating Compliance in the Cloud AlgoSec Cloud Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read 5 Multi-Cloud Environments Cloud Security Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Speak to one of our experts Speak to one of our experts Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Schedule a call

PARTNER SOLUTION BRIEF ALGOSEC AND F5 Download PDF Schedule time with one of our experts Schedule time with one of our experts Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Continue

A quarter-by-quarter review of AlgoSec’s 2025 covering key product launches like Horizon, our latest research on zero trust and convergence, customer milestones, and the industry recognition that defined our year. AlgoSec Reviews 2025 in review: What innovations and milestones defined AlgoSec’s transformative year in 2025? Adel Osta Dadan 2 min read Adel Osta Dadan Short bio about author here Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Vitae donec tincidunt elementum quam laoreet duis sit enim. Duis mattis velit sit leo diam. Tags Share this article 12/18/25 Published As we close out 2025, I find myself reflecting on what has been an extraordinary journey for AlgoSec. This year was marked by breakthrough innovations, significant industry recognition, and an unwavering commitment to our vision of secure application connectivity. From launching game-changing solutions to earning accolades on the global stage, 2025 challenged us to push boundaries – and we rose to the occasion with confidence and purpose. Every challenge met, every milestone achieved, has reinforced our resolve to lead in network security policy management across hybrid cloud environments. The story of AlgoSec in 2025 is one of innovation validated by the industry and, most importantly, by the trust of our customers. In this featured year-end review, I’ll walk through AlgoSec’s 2025 journey quarter by quarter. It’s a personal narrative from my vantage point as someone fortunate enough to help shape our story. The tone is proud and forward-looking because the accomplishments of this year have set the stage for an even more ambitious 2026. So let’s dive in, quarter by quarter, into how 2025 unfolded for AlgoSec – a year of solidifying leadership, fostering innovation, and securing connectivity for enterprises worldwide. Q1 – Launching a new horizon in hybrid cloud security The first quarter of 2025 was all about bold beginnings. We started the year by challenging the status quo in hybrid network security and laying the groundwork for everything to follow. Launch of the AlgoSec Horizon platform: In February, we unveiled AlgoSec Horizon , our most advanced application-centric security management platform for converging cloud and on-premise environments. This wasn’t just a product launch – it was a statement of direction. AlgoSec Horizon is the industry’s first platform to unify security policy automation across hybrid networks, giving teams a single pane of glass for both cloud and data center connectivity. By applying AI-driven visibility and risk mitigation, Horizon allows security teams to consistently manage application connectivity and policies across any environment. “Today’s networks are 100x more complex... requiring organizations to unify security operations, automate policies and enhance visibility across infrastructures,” as our VP of Product Eran Shiff noted at launch. With Horizon, our customers gained full visibility into their hybrid-cloud network and the power to remediate risks without slowing down the business. We even showcased Horizon live at Cisco Live 2025 in Amsterdam, letting attendees see firsthand how it simplifies hybrid cloud security. This Q1 milestone set the tone for the year – proving that we don’t just adapt to industry shifts, we lead them. Continuing analyst recognition and thought leadership: Building on momentum from the previous year, we carried forward strong validation from industry analysts. AlgoSec entered 2025 still highlighted as a Market Outperformer in GigaOm’s recent Radar Report for Cloud Network Security. In that report, analyst Andrew Green praised our core strength: “AlgoSec automates application connectivity and security policy across the hybrid network estate including public cloud, private cloud, containers, and on-premises networks.” Such independent insight validated our unique, application-centric approach. Internally, these early recognitions energized our teams. We doubled down on R&D and prepared to share our expertise more broadly – including wrapping up work on our annual research report. Q1’s focus on innovation and expert validation paved the way for the accomplishments that followed in subsequent quarters. Q2 – Thought leadership and industry accolades on the global stage If Q1 was about innovation, Q2 was about validation. In the second quarter, AlgoSec stepped onto the global stage at RSAC 2025 and emerged with both influential research and prestigious awards. It was a period where our thought leadership in secure connectivity met with resounding industry recognition. State of network security report 2025: In April, we released our annual State of Network Security Report , a comprehensive vendor-agnostic study of emerging trends and challenges in network security. This report quickly became a cornerstone of our thought leadership. It revealed how businesses are prioritizing multi-cloud strategies and zero-trust architecture in unprecedented ways. For instance, zero-trust adoption reached an all-time high – 56% of organizations reported they had fully or partially implemented zero-trust by 2025. We also highlighted that multi-cloud environments are now the norm, with Azure rising to become the most widely used cloud platform among respondents. Perhaps most telling was the finding that automating application connectivity ranked as the top priority for minimizing risk and downtime [9] . These insights underscored a message we’ve championed for years – that security can and should be an enabler of business agility. By shining a light on gaps in visibility and the need for policy automation, our Q2 research reinforced AlgoSec’s role as a thought leader in secure application connectivity. The report’s influence was evident in conversations at industry events and in how customers approached their network security strategy. Awards at RSAC 2025 – best security company and more: The highlight of Q2 came during the RSA Conference in late April, when AlgoSec earned two major industry accolades in one week. SC Media honored AlgoSec with the 2025 SC Award for Best Security Company, a recognition of our impact and innovation in cybersecurity. At the same time, Cyber Defense Magazine announced us as a winner of a 2025 Global InfoSec Award for Best Service – Cybersecurity Company [11] . Securing these prestigious awards simultaneously was a proud and humbling moment. It marked a significant milestone for our team as we continue to gain momentum across the global enterprise market. These accomplishments also validated our mission to deliver secure, seamless application connectivity across hybrid environments. “We’re honored to be recognized for empowering our customers to move faster and stay secure,” an AlgoSec spokesperson said, when discussing what the SC Award means to us. Indeed, being named Best Security Company came on the heels of some impressive company growth metrics – over 2,200 organizations now trust AlgoSec for their security policy management needs, and we saw 14% customer growth over the past year. The SC Award judges also noted that we command roughly 32% of the security policy management market share , highlighting AlgoSec’s leadership in this space. For me personally, seeing our work celebrated at RSAC 2025 was exhilarating. It wasn’t just about trophies; it was about validation from the community that the path we chose – focusing on application-centric, hybrid-cloud security – is the right one. Q2 ended with our trophy cabinet a bit fuller and our resolve stronger than ever to keep raising the bar. Q3 – Accelerating growth and fostering community The third quarter saw our innovations bear fruit in the market and our community initiatives take center stage. Coming out of the big wins of Q2, we maintained that momentum through the summer by executing on our strategies and engaging deeply with customers and partners. Q3 was about scaling up – both in terms of business impact and thought leadership outreach. Surging adoption and business growth: By mid-year, the impact of our new platform and solutions was clear in the numbers . In fact, we recorded a 36% year-over-year increase in new annual recurring revenue (ARR) in the first half of 2025 , driven largely by strong adoption of the AlgoSec Horizon platform. Our existing customers stayed with us as well – we maintained a gross dollar retention rate above 90%, a metric that speaks to the tangible value organizations are getting from our products. One anecdote that sticks with me is a story from a major U.S. financial institution: after deploying Horizon, they discovered 1,800 previously unknown applications and their connectivity requirements within the first two weeks . That kind of visibility – uncovering what was once shadow IT – is a game-changer for risk reduction. It proved that our focus on hybrid cloud security and intelligent automation is solving real problems. Equally rewarding was the feedback from customers. By Q3, AlgoSec was sustaining an average rating of 4.5 stars on Gartner Peer Insights , with users praising our platform’s depth and ease of use. We’ve also consistently ranked at the top of our category on peer review sites like G2 and PeerSpot, reflecting the positive outcomes our users are achieving . This convergence of market growth and customer satisfaction in Q3 affirmed that our application-centric approach is resonating strongly. Extending thought leadership through strategic research: Our growth in Q3 wasn’t just reflected in numbers—it also showed in how we’re shaping the security conversation. One standout was the publication of the Security Convergence eBook , developed in partnership with ESG. This research-backed guide addressed the operational and strategic challenges of aligning application, network, and cloud security. It offered actionable insights for enterprises navigating the intersection of security domains, a challenge we consistently hear about from our customers. The eBook resonated with CISOs and security leaders tasked with unifying fragmented processes under growing compliance and performance pressures. It reaffirmed AlgoSec’s unique position—not just as a solution provider, but as a partner helping drive clarity and convergence in the face of growing complexity. Community engagement and knowledge sharing : Even as we grew, we never lost sight of the importance of community and education. In September, we launched the AlgoSec Horizon Tour , a roadshow of interactive sessions across EMEA and the U.S. aimed at sharing best practices in secure application connectivity. These workshops gave enterprise security teams a hands-on look at Horizon’s capabilities and provided a forum for us to hear feedback directly from users. The tour culminated in our annual AlgoSummit 2025 – a virtual conference we hosted on September 30th that brought together customers, partners, and industry experts. If I had to choose a proud moment from Q3, AlgoSummit 2025 would be high on the list. We facilitated deep-dive discussions on zero trust architecture , cloud security, and the future of network policy automation. It was inspiring to see our community openly exchange ideas and solutions. This summit wasn’t just a company event; it felt like an industry think-tank. It reinforced AlgoSec’s role as a trusted advisor in the field of network security, not just a product vendor. By the end of Q3, we had strengthened the bonds with our user community and showcased that as networks evolve, we’re evolving right alongside our customers – providing guidance, platform innovations, and an open ear to their needs. Recognition of customer success: On a more personal note, Q3 also brought moments that reminded us why we do what we do. I recall one customer review that particularly struck me, where a network security manager described how AlgoSec became indispensable as their organization embraced zero trust. “As we aspire to achieve zero-trust… we need tools like AlgoSec to assist us in the journey because most application owners do not know what access is needed. This tool helps them learn what needs to be implemented to reduce the attack surface,” he noted. Hearing directly from customers about how we’re helping them reduce risk and implement zero trust principles is incredibly motivating. It underscores that behind the growth statistics are real organizations becoming safer and more agile, powered by our solutions. This customer-centric ethos carried us through Q3 and into the final stretch of the year. Q4 – Culminating achievements and setting the stage for what’s next As the year drew to a close, AlgoSec showed no signs of slowing down. In fact, Q4 was about finishing strong and preparing for the future. We used the final quarter to expand our solution capabilities, help customers navigate new security paradigms, and celebrate the capstone of several achievements. It’s been a period of tying up 2025’s narrative threads and pointing our compass toward 2026. Expanding zero-trust and cloud security initiatives: In Q4, we doubled down on helping customers realize Zero Trust Architecture across their increasingly complex environments. Building on the micro-segmentation and application dependency mapping capabilities of our platform, we introduced new workflows to streamline zero-trust policy adoption. Our approach has been to make zero trust practical – ensuring that as enterprises segment their networks, they maintain clear visibility into application flows and can automate rule changes without fear of breaking things. We also expanded integrations with cloud platforms, recognizing that hybrid cloud deployments require consistent enforcement of zero-trust principles. The goal is simple: only allow what’s necessary. As one of our customers at NCR put it, “we need tools like AlgoSec… because most application owners do not know what access is needed. This tool helps them learn what needs to be implemented to reduce the attack surface.” That insight from the field echoes in our Q4 product enhancements – we focused on features that help identify and tighten overly permissive access, be it on-prem or in the cloud. Additionally, we kept an eye on emerging regulations and frameworks. With new security compliance requirements on the horizon, we ensured our solutions can automate audits and segmentation policies to keep our customers one step ahead. In short, Q4 was about reinforcing our commitment to hybrid cloud security and zero trust, so that our users can enter 2026 with confidence in their security posture. Even as 2025 ends, the wave of recognition we’ve ridden continues into Q4. I’m thrilled to share that in November, AlgoSec was named a “Trailblazing” company in Network Security and Management as part of the 2025 Top InfoSec Innovator Awards . This honor, bestowed by Cyber Defense Magazine’s panel of judges, places us among a select group of cybersecurity companies driving innovation and shaping the future of the industry. It’s a testament to our team’s hard work and our forward-thinking roadmap. Looking ahead to 2026 Reflecting on 2025, it’s clear that this year has been t ransformationa l for AlgoSec. We innovated boldly, earned trust widely, and solidified our position as the go-to partner for enterprises seeking secure, agile connectivity. The awards and recognitions were wonderful highlights – they energize us – but what truly drives our pride is knowing we helped organizations around the world accelerate their business securely . The foundations we laid this year in areas like zero trust architecture, hybrid cloud security, and intelligent policy automation have set us up for an even more impactful 2026. As we turn toward 2026, our vision is sharper than ever. We will continue to advance our platform – expect even more AI-driven insights, broader cloud integrations, and features that make managing network security policies in complex environments simpler than ever. We’ll also keep championing thought leadership through research and community engagement, because educating the market is part of our DNA. The threat landscape will undoubtedly evolve in 2026, but we plan to stay ahead of the curve , helping our customers navigate whatever comes next with confidence and clarity. On a personal note, I am incredibly grateful for the dedication of our team and the unwavering support of our AlgoSec community. It’s your feedback and your challenges that inspire our innovations. This year we’ve seen what we can achieve together – from launching Horizon to embracing zero trust, from winning awards to solving tough problems on the ground. 2025 has been a chapter of leadership and growth in AlgoSec’s story. Now we set our sights on writing the next chapter. With the momentum at our backs and our mission guiding us, we step into 2026 ready to continue redefining what’s possible in secure application connectivity. Here’s to another year of innovation, collaboration, and success on the horizon! Thank you for being part of our 2025 journey. We’re excited for what’s to come – and we’ll be sure to keep you posted every step of the way. Schedule a demo Related Articles 2025 in review: What innovations and milestones defined AlgoSec’s transformative year in 2025? AlgoSec Reviews Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Navigating Compliance in the Cloud AlgoSec Cloud Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read 5 Multi-Cloud Environments Cloud Security Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Speak to one of our experts Speak to one of our experts Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Schedule a call

An application-centric approach to firewall rule recertification: Challenges and benefits Download PDF Schedule time with one of our experts Schedule time with one of our experts Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Continue

Implement micro-segmentation effectively, from strategy to execution, to enhance security, minimize risks, and protect critical assets across your network. Micro-segmentation from strategy to execution Overview Learn how to plan and execute your micro-segmentation project in AlgoSec’s guide. Schedule a Demo What is Micro segmentation Micro-segmentation is a technique to create secure zones in networks. It lets companies isolate workloads from one another and introduce tight controls over internal access to sensitive data. This makes network security more granular. Micro-segmentation is an “upgrade” to network segmentation. Companies have long relied on firewalls, VLANs, and access control lists (ACL) to segment their network. Network segmentation is a key defense-in-depth strategy, segregating and protecting company data and limiting attackers’ lateral movements. Consider a physical intruder who enters a gated community. Despite having breached the gate, the intruder cannot freely enter the houses in the community because, in addition to the outside gate, each house has locks on its door. Micro-segmentation takes this an additional step further – even if the intruder breaks into a house, the intruder cannot access all the rooms. Schedule a Demo Why Micro-segment? Organizations frequently implement micro-segmentation to block lateral movement. Two common types of lateral movements are insider threats and ransomware. Insider threats are employees or contractors gaining access to data that they are not authorized to access. Ransomware is a type of malware attack in which the attacker locks and encrypts the victim’s data and then demands a payment to unlock and decrypt the data. If an attacker takes over one desktop or one server in your estate and deploys malware, you want to reduce the “blast radius” and make sure that the malware can’t spread throughout the entire data center. And if you decide not to pay the ransom? Datto’s Global State of the Channel Ransomware Report informs us that: The cost of downtime is 23x greater than the average ransom requested in 2019. Downtime costs due to ransomware are up by 200% year-over-year. Schedule a Demo The SDN Solution With software-defined networks, such as Cisco ACI and VMware NSX, micro-segmentation can be achieved without deploying additional controls such as firewalls. Because the data center is software-driven, the fabric has built-in filtering capabilities. This means that you can introduce policy rules without adding new hardware. SDN solutions can filter flows both inside the data center (east-west traffic) and flows entering or exiting the data center (north-south traffic). The SDN technology supporting your data center eliminates many of the earlier barriers to micro-segmentation. Yet, although a software-defined fabric makes segmentation possible, there are still many challenges to making it a reality. Schedule a Demo What is a Good Filtering Policy A good filtering policy has three requirements: 1 – Allows all business traffic The last thing you want is to write a micro-segmented policy and have it break necessary business communication, causing applications to stop functioning. 2 – Allows nothing else By default, all other traffic should be denied. 3 – Future-proof “More of the same” changes in the network environment shouldn’t break rules. If you write your policies too narrowly, then any change in the network, such as a new server or application, could cause something to stop working. Write with scalability in mind. How do organizations achieve these requirements? They need to know what the traffic flows are as well as what should be allowed and what should be denied. This is difficult because most traffic is undocumented. There is no clear record of the applications in the data center and what network flows they depend on. To get accurate information, you need to perform a “discovery” process. Schedule a Demo A Blueprint for Creating a Micro-segmentation Policy Micro-segmentation Blueprint Discovery You need to find out which traffic needs to be allowed and then you can decide what not to allow. Two common ways to implement a discovery process are traffic-based discovery and content-based discovery. Traffic-Based Discovery Traffic-based discovery is the process of understanding traffic flows: Observe the traffic that is traversing the data center, analyze it, and identify the intent of the flows by mapping them to the applications they support. You can collect the raw traffic with a traffic sniffer/network TAP or use a NetFlow feed. Content-based or Data-Based Approach In the content-based approach, you organize the data center systems into segments based on the sensitivity of the data they process. For example, an eCommerce application may process credit card information which is regulated by the PCI DSS standard. Therefore, you need to identify the servers supporting the eCommerce application and separate them in your filtering policy. Discovering traffic flows within a data center Micro-segmentation Blueprint Using NetFlow for Traffic Mapping The traffic source on which it is easiest to base application discovery is NetFlow. Most routers and switches can be configured to emit a NetFlow feed without requiring the deployment of agents throughout the data center. The flows in the NetFlow feed are clustered into business applications based on recurring IP addresses and correlations in time. For example, if an HTTPS connection from a client at 172.7.1.11 to 10.3.3.3 is observed at 10 AM, and a PostgreSQL connection from the same 10.3.3.3 to 10.1.1.1 is observed 0.5 seconds later, it’s clear that all three systems support a single application, which can be labeled with a name such as “Trading System”. 172.7.1.0/2410.3.3.3 TRADE SYS HTTPS10.3.3.3 TRADE SYS 10.1.1.11 DB TCP/543210.3.3.7 FOREX 10.1.1.11 DB TCP/5432 Identifying traffic flows in common, based on shared IP addresses NetFlow often produces thousands of “thin flow” records (one IP to another IP), even for a single application. In the example above, there may be a NetFlow record for every client desktop. It is important to aggregate them into “fat flows” (e.g., that allows all the clients in the 172.7.1.0/24 range). In addition to avoiding an explosion in the number of flows, aggregation also provides a higher-level understanding, as well as future-proofing the policies against fluctuations in IP address allocation. Using the discovery platform in the AlgoSec Security Management Suite to identify the flows in combination with information from your firewalls can help you decide where to put the boundaries of your segments and which policies to put in these filters. Micro-segmentation Blueprint Defining Logical Segments Once you have discovered the business applications whose traffic is traversing the data center (using traffic-based discovery) and have also identified the data sensitivity (using a content-based approach) you are well positioned to define your segments. Bear in mind that all the traffic that is confined to a segment is allowed. Traffic crossing between segments is blocked by default – and needs to be explicitly allowed by a policy rule. There are two potential starting points: Segregate the systems processing sensitive data into their own segments. You may have to do this anyway for regulatory reasons. Segregate networks connecting to client systems (desktops, laptops, wireless networks) into “human-zone” segments. Client systems are often the entry points of malware, and are always the source of malicious insider attacks. Then, place the remaining servers supporting each application, each in its own segment. Doing so will save you the need to write explicit policy rules to allow traffic that is internal to only one business application. Example segment within a data center Micro-segmentation Blueprint Creating the Filtering Policy Once the segments are defined, we need to write the policy. Traffic confined to a segment is automatically allowed so we don’t need to worry about it anymore. We just need to write policy for traffic crossing micro-segment boundaries. Eventually, the last rule on the policy must be a default-deny: “from anywhere to anywhere, with any service – DENY.” However, enforcing such a rule in the early days of the micro-segmentation project, before all the rest of the policy is written, risks breaking many applications’ communications. So start with a (totally insecure) default-allow rule until your policy is ready, and then switch to a default-deny on “D-Day” (“deny-day”). We’ll discuss D-Day shortly. What types of rules are we going to be writing? Cross segment flows – Allowing traffic between segments: e.g., Allow the eCommerce servers to access the credit-card Flows to/from outside the data center – e.g., allow employees in the finance department to connect to financial data within the data center from their machines in the human-zone, or allow access from the Internet to the front-end eCommerce web servers. Users outside the data center need to access data within the data center Micro-segmentation Blueprint Default Allow – with Logging To avoid major connectivity disruptions, start your micro-segmentation project gently. Instead of writing a “DENY” rule at the end of the policy, write an “ALLOW” rule – which is clearly insecure – but turn on logging for this ALLOW rule. This creates a log of all connections that match the default-allow rule. Initially you will receive many logs entries from the default-allow rule; your goal in the project is to eliminate them. To do this, you go over the applications you discovered earlier, write the policy rules that support each application’s cross-segment flows, and place them above the default-allow rule. This means that the traffic of each application you handle will no longer match the default-allow (it will match the new rules you wrote) – and the amount of default-allow logs will decrease. Keep adding rules, application by application, until the final allow rule is not generating any more logs. At that point, you reach the final milestone in the project: D-Day. Micro-segmentation Blueprint Preparing for “D-Day” Once logging generated by the default-allow rule ceases to indicate new flows that need to be added to your filtering policy, you can start preparing for “D-Day.” This is the day that you flip the switch and change the final rule from “default ALLOW” to “default DENY.” Once you do that, all the undiscovered traffic is going to be denied by the filtering fabric, and you will finally have a secured, micro-segmented, data center. This is a big deal! However, you should realize that D-Day is going to cause a big organizational change. From this day forward, every application developer whose application requires new traffic to cross the data center will need to ask for permission to allow this traffic; they will need to follow a process, which includes opening a change request, and then wait for the change to be implemented. The free-wheeling days are over. You need to prepare for D-Day. Consider steps such as: Get management buy-in Communicate the change across the organization Set a change control window Have “all hands on deck” on D-Day to quickly correct anything that may have been missed and causes applications to break Micro-segmentation Blueprint Change Requests & Compliance Notice that after D-Day, any change in application connectivity requires filing a “change request”. When the information security team is evaluating a change request – they need to check whether the request is in line with the “acceptable traffic” policy. A common method for managing policy at the high-level is to use a table, where each row represents a segment, and every column represents a segment. Each cell in the table lists all the services that are allowed from its “row” segment to its “column” segment. Keeping this table in a machine readable format, such an Excel spreadsheet, enables software systems to run a what-if risk-check that compares each change-request with the acceptable policy, and flags any discrepancies before the new rules are deployed. Such a what-if risk-check is also important for regulatory compliance. Regulations such as PCI and ISO27001 require organizations to define such a policy, and to compare themselves to it; demonstrating the policy is often part of the certification or audit. Schedule a Demo Enabling Micro-segmentation with AlgoSec The AlgoSec Security Management Suite (ASMS) makes it easy to define and enforce your micro-segmentation strategy inside the data center, ensuring that it does not block critical business services and does meet compliance requirements. AlgoSec’s powerful AutoDiscovery capabilities help you understand the network flows in your organization. You can automatically connect the recognized traffic flows to the business applications that use them. Once the segments are established, AlgoSec seamlessly manages the network security policy across your entire hybrid network estate. AlgoSec proactively checks every proposed firewall rule change request against the segmentation strategy to ensure that the change doesn’t break the segmentation strategy, introduce risk, or violate compliance requirements. AlgoSec enforces micro-segmentation by: Generating a custom report on compliance enforced by the micro-segmentation policy Identifying unprotected network flows that do not cross any firewall and are not filtered for an application Automatically identifying changes that violate the micro-segmentation strategy Automatically implementing network security changes Automatically validating changes Security zones in AlgoSec’s AppViz Want to learn more? Get a personal demo Schedule a Demo About AlgoSec AlgoSec, a global cybersecurity leader, empowers organizations to secure application connectivity by automating connectivity flows and security policy, anywhere.  The AlgoSec platform enables the world’s most complex organizations to gain visibility, reduce risk and process changes at zero-touch across the hybrid network.   AlgoSec’s patented application-centric view of the hybrid network enables business owners, application owners, and information security professionals to talk the same language, so organizations can deliver business applications faster while achieving a heightened security posture.  Over 1,800 of the world’s leading organizations trust AlgoSec to help secure their most critical workloads across public cloud, private cloud, containers, and on-premises networks, while taking advantage of almost two decades of leadership in Network Security Policy Management.  See what securely accelerating your digital transformation, move-to-cloud, infrastructure modernization, or micro-segmentation initiatives looks like at www.algosec.com Want to learn more about how AlgoSec can help enable micro-segmentation? Schedule a demo. Schedule a Demo Select a size Overview What is Micro segmentation Why Micro-segment? The SDN Solution What is a Good Filtering Policy A Blueprint for Creating a Micro-segmentation Policy Enabling Micro-segmentation with AlgoSec About AlgoSec Get the latest insights from the experts Choose a better way to manage your network

It goes without saying that security is the cornerstone of any organization today. This includes ensuring access to corporate data is... Firewall Change Management Firewall migration tips & best practices Joanne Godfrey 2 min read Joanne Godfrey Short bio about author here Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Vitae donec tincidunt elementum quam laoreet duis sit enim. Duis mattis velit sit leo diam. firewallmigration Tags Share this article 8/18/14 Published It goes without saying that security is the cornerstone of any organization today. This includes ensuring access to corporate data is secured, connectivity to the data center from both internal and external users is secured, and that critical security updates are installed. Now comes the big question: what if you have to migrate your security policy to a new platform? With cloud computing and distributed data centers across the world nothing in technology is ever constant anymore. So how do you control and manage a firewall migration? What if you use multiple vendors’ solutions with both virtual and physical appliances? A firewall migration can be as simple as moving from one model to another, or a lot more complicated. As an experienced cloud architect, I’ve been a part of a number of firewall migration projects. Here are three tips to help make your firewall migration project a little bit easier. Create powerful firewall and security visibility map. All aspects of your firewall must be documented and well planned before doing a migration, and you must plan for both current as well as future needs. Start by gathering information: create a visual, dynamic map of your firewall architecture and traffic, which should include all technical connectivity data. Understand, document and prepare policy migration. Once you have your visual firewall map it’s time to look under the hood. One firewall might be easy, but is it ever really just one security appliance? The dynamic nature of the modern data center means that multiple security vendors can live under one roof. So how do you create a policy migration plan around heterogeneous platforms? You need to identify and document all the security policies and services and network algorithms for each firewall end-point. Analyze business impact and create a migration path. How do your applications interact with various security policies? Do you have specific business units relying on specific firewall traffic? How are various data centers being segmented by your security policies? Migrating a firewall will have a business-wide impact. You must ensure that this impact is absolutely minimal. You need to understand how your entire business model interacts with firewall and security technologies and if any piece of the business is forgotten technological headaches may be the least of your worries. Migrating a firewall doesn’t have to be hard, but it must be well planned. With so much information traversing the modern data center, it’s imperative to have complete visibility across the security architecture. Ultimately, with the right tools to help you plan, map and actually implement a firewall change process, and lots of cups of coffee, you can greatly reduce security migration complexity. #FirewallMigration Schedule a demo Related Articles 2025 in review: What innovations and milestones defined AlgoSec’s transformative year in 2025? AlgoSec Reviews Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Navigating Compliance in the Cloud AlgoSec Cloud Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read 5 Multi-Cloud Environments Cloud Security Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Speak to one of our experts Speak to one of our experts Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Schedule a call

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Information security is vital to business continuity. Organizations trust their IT teams to enable innovation and business transformation... Risk Management and Vulnerabilities How to optimize the security policy management lifecycle Tsippi Dach 2 min read Tsippi Dach Short bio about author here Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Vitae donec tincidunt elementum quam laoreet duis sit enim. Duis mattis velit sit leo diam. Tags Share this article 8/9/23 Published Information security is vital to business continuity. Organizations trust their IT teams to enable innovation and business transformation but need them to safeguard digital assets in the process. This leads some leaders to feel that their information security policies are standing in the way of innovation and business agility. Instead of rolling new a new enterprise application and provisioning it for full connectivity from the start, security teams demand weeks or months of time to secure those systems before they’re ready. But this doesn’t mean that cybersecurity is a bottleneck to business agility. The need for speedier deployment doesn’t automatically translate to increased risk. Organizations that manage application connectivity and network security policies using a structured lifecycle approach can improve security without compromising deployment speed. Many challenges stand between organizations and their application and network connectivity goals. Understanding each stage of the lifecycle approach to security policy change management is key to overcoming these obstacles. Challenges to optimizing security policy management ` Complex enterprise infrastructure and compliance requirements A medium-sizded enterprise may have hundreds of servers, systems, and security solutions like firewalls in place. These may be spread across several different cloud providers, with additional inputs from SaaS vendors and other third-party partners. Add in strict regulatory compliance requirements like HIPAA , and the risk management picture gets much more complicated. Even voluntary frameworks like NIST heavily impact an organization’s information security posture, acceptable use policies, and more – without the added risk of non-compliance. Before organizations can optimize their approach to security policy management, they must have visibility and control over an increasingly complex landscape. Without this, making meaningful progress of data classification and retention policies is difficult, if not impossible. Modern workflows involve non-stop change When information technology teams deploy or modify an application, it’s in response to an identified business need. When those deployments get delayed, there is a real business impact. IT departments now need to implement security measures earlier, faster, and more comprehensively than they used to. They must conduct risk assessments and security training processes within ever-smaller timeframes, or risk exposing the organization to vulnerabilities and security breaches . Strong security policies need thousands of custom rules There is no one-size-fits-all solution for managing access control and data protection at the application level. Different organizations have different security postures and security risk profiles. Compliance requirements can change, leading to new security requirements that demand implementation. Enterprise organizations that handle sensitive data and adhere to strict compliance rules must severely restrict access to information systems. It’s not easy to achieve PCI DSS compliance or adhere to GDPR security standards solely through automation – at least, not without a dedicated change management platform like AlgoSec . Effectively managing an enormous volume of custom security rules and authentication policies requires access to scalable security resources under a centralized, well-managed security program. Organizations must ensure their security teams are equipped to enforce data security policies successfully. Inter-department communication needs improvement Application deliver managers, network architects, security professionals, and compliance managers must all contribute to the delivery of new application projects. Achieving clear channels of communication between these different groups is no easy task. In most enterprise environments, these teams speak different technical languages. They draw their data from internally siloed sources, and rarely share comprehensive documentation with one another. In many cases, one or more of these groups are only brought in after everyone else has had their say, which significantly limits the amount of influence they can have. The lifecycle approach to managing IT security policies can help establish a standardized set of security controls that everyone follows. However, it also requires better communication and security awareness from stakeholders throughout the organization. The policy management lifecycle addresses these challenges in five stages ` Without a clear security policy management lifecycle in place, most enterprises end up managing security changes on an ad hoc basis. This puts them at a disadvantage, especially when security resources are stretched thin on incident response and disaster recovery initiatives. Instead of adopting a reactive approach that delays application releases and reduces productivity, organizations can leverage the lifecycle approach to security policy management to address vulnerabilities early in the application development lifecycle. This leaves additional resources available for responding to security incidents, managing security threats, and proactively preventing data breaches. Discover and visualize application connectivity The first stage of the security policy management lifecycle revolves around mapping how your apps connect to each other and to your network setup. The more details can include in this map, the better prepared your IT team will be for handling the challenges of policy management. Performing this discovery process manually can cost enterprise-level security teams a great deal of time and accuracy. There may be thousands of devices on the network, with a complex web of connections between them. Any errors that enter the framework at this stage will be amplified through the later stages – it’s important to get things right at this stage. Automated tools help IT staff improve the speed and accuracy of the discovery and visualization stage. This helps everyone – technical and nontechnical staff included – to understand what apps need to connect and work together properly. Automated tools help translate these needs into language that the rest of the organization can understand, reducing the risk of misconfiguration down the line. Plan and assess security policy changes Once you have a good understanding of how your apps connect with each other and your network setup, you can plan changes more effectively. You want to make sure these changes will allow the organization’s apps to connect with one another and work together without increasing security risks. It’s important to adopt a vulnerability-oriented perspective at this stage. You don’t want to accidentally introduce weak spots that hackers can exploit, or establish policies that are too complex for your organization’s employees to follow. This process usually involves translating application connectivity requests into network operations terms. Your IT team will have to check if the proposed changes are necessary, and predict what the results of implementing those changes might be. This is especially important for cloud-based apps that may change quickly and unpredictably. At the same time, security teams must evaluate the risks and determine whether the changes are compliant with security policy. Automating these tasks as part of a regular cycle ensures the data is always relevant and saves valuable time. Migrate and deploy changes efficiently The process of deploying new security rules is complex, time-consuming, and prone to error . It often stretches the capabilities of security teams that already have a wide range of operational security issues to address at any given time. In between managing incident response and regulatory compliance, they must now also manually update thousands of security rules over a fleet of complex network assets. This process gets a little bit easier when guided by a comprehensive security policy change management framework. But most organizations don’t unlock the true value of the security policy management lifecycle until they adopt automation. Automated security policy management platforms enable organizations to design rule changes intelligently, migrate rules automatically, and push new policies to firewalls through a zero-touch interface. They can even validate whether the intended changes updated correctly. This final step is especially important. Without it, security teams must manually verify whether their new policies successfully address the vulnerabilities the way they’re supposed to. This doesn’t always happen, leaving security teams with a false sense of security. Maintain configurations using templates Most firewalls accumulate thousands of rules as security teams update them against new threats. Many of these rules become outdated and obsolete over time, but remain in place nonetheless. This adds a great deal of complexity to small-scale tasks like change management, troubleshooting issues, and compliance auditing. It can also impact the performance of firewall hardware , which decreases the overall lifespan of expensive physical equipment. Configuration changes and maintenance should include processes for identifying and eliminating rules that are redundant, misconfigured, or obsolete. The cleaner and better-documented the organization’s rulesets are, the easier subsequent configuration changes will be. Rule templates provide a simple solution to this problem. Organizations that create and maintain comprehensive templates for their current firewall rulesets can easily modify, update, and change those rules without having to painstakingly review and update individual devices manually. Decommission obsolete applications completely Every business application will eventually reach the end of its lifecycle. However, many organizations keep decommissioned security policies in place for one of two reasons: Oversight that stems from unstandardized or poorly documented processes, or; Fear that removing policies will negatively impact other, active applications. As these obsolete security policies pile up, they force the organization to spend more time and resources updating their firewall rulesets. This adds bloat to firewall security processes, and increases the risk of misconfigurations that can lead to cyber attacks. A standardized, lifecycle-centric approach to security policy management makes space for the structured decommissioning of obsolete applications and the rules that apply to them. This improves change management and ensures the organization’s security posture is optimally suited for later changes. At the same time, it provides comprehensive visibility that reduces oversight risks and gives security teams fewer unknowns to fear when decommissioning obsolete applications. Many organizations believe that Security stands in the way of the business – particularly when it comes to changing or provisioning connectivity for applications. It can take weeks, or even months to ensure that all the servers, devices, and network segments that support the application can communicate with each other while blocking access to hackers and unauthorized users. It’s a complex and intricate process. This is because, for every single application update or change, Networking and Security teams need to understand how it will affect the information flows between the various firewalls and servers the application relies on, and then change connectivity rules and security policies to ensure that only legitimate traffic is allowed, without creating security gaps or compliance violations. As a result, many enterprises manage security changes on an ad-hoc basis: they move quickly to address the immediate needs of high-profile applications or to resolve critical threats, but have little time left over to maintain network maps, document security policies, or analyze the impact of rule changes on applications. This reactive approach delays application releases, can cause outages and lost productivity, increases the risk of security breaches and puts the brakes on business agility. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Nor is it necessary for businesses to accept greater security risk to satisfy the demand for speed. Accelerating agility without sacrificing security The solution is to manage application connectivity and network security policies through a structured lifecycle methodology, which ensures that the right security policy management activities are performed in the right order, through an automated, repeatable process. This dramatically speeds up application connectivity provisioning and improves business agility, without sacrificing security and compliance. So, what is the network security policy management lifecycle, and how should network and security teams implement a lifecycle approach in their organizations? Discover and visualize The first stage involves creating an accurate, real-time map of application connectivity and the network topology across the entire organization, including on-premise, cloud, and software-defined environments. Without this information, IT staff are essentially working blind, and will inevitably make mistakes and encounter problems down the line. Security policy management solutions can automate the application connectivity discovery, mapping, and documentation processes across the thousands of devices on networks – a task that is enormously time-consuming and labor-intensive if done manually. In addition, the mapping process can help business and technical groups develop a shared understanding of application connectivity requirements. Plan and assess Once there is a clear picture of application connectivity and the network infrastructure, you can start to plan changes more effectively – ensure that proposed changes will provide the required connectivity, while minimizing the risks of introducing vulnerabilities, causing application outages, or compliance violations. Typically, it involves translating application connectivity requests into networking terminology, analyzing the network topology to determine if the changes are really needed, conducting an impact analysis of proposed rule changes (particularly valuable with unpredictable cloud-based applications), performing a risk and compliance assessment, and assessing inputs from vulnerabilities scanners and SIEM solutions. Automating these activities as part of a structured lifecycle keeps data up-to-date, saves time, and ensures that these critical steps are not omitted – helping avoid configuration errors and outages. Functions Of An Automatic Pool Cleaner An automatic pool cleaner is very useful for people who have a bad back and find it hard to manually operate the pool cleaner throughout the pool area. This type of pool cleaner can move along the various areas of a pool automatically. Its main function is to suck up dirt and other debris in the pool. It functions as a vacuum. Automatic pool cleaners may also come in different types and styles. These include automatic pressure-driven cleaners, automatic suction side-drive cleaners, and robotic pool cleaners. Migrate and deploy Deploying connectivity and security rules can be a labor-intensive and error-prone process. Security policy management solutions automate the critical tasks involved, including designing rule changes intelligently, automatically migrating rules, and pushing policies to firewalls and other security devices – all with zero-touch if no problems or exceptions are detected. Crucially, the solution can also validate that the intended changes have been implemented correctly. This last step is often neglected, creating the false impression that application connectivity has been provided, or that vulnerabilities have been removed, when in fact there are time bombs ticking in the network. Maintain Most firewalls accumulate thousands of rules which become outdated or obsolete over the years. Bloated rulesets not only add complexity to daily tasks such as change management, troubleshooting and auditing, but they can also impact the performance of firewall appliances, resulting in decreased hardware lifespan and increased TCO. Cleaning up and optimizing security policies on an ongoing basis can prevent these problems. This includes identifying and eliminating or consolidating redundant and conflicting rules; tightening overly permissive rules; reordering rules; and recertifying expired ones. A clean, well-documented set of security rules helps to prevent business application outages, compliance violations, and security gaps and reduces management time and effort. Decommission Every business application eventually reaches the end of its life: but when they are decommissioned, its security policies are often left in place, either by oversight or from fear that removing policies could negatively affect active business applications. These obsolete or redundant security policies increase the enterprise’s attack surface and add bloat to the firewall ruleset. The lifecycle approach reduces these risks. It provides a structured and automated process for identifying and safely removing redundant rules as soon as applications are decommissioned while verifying that their removal will not impact active applications or create compliance violations. We recently published a white paper that explains the five stages of the security policy management lifecycle in detail. It’s a great primer for any organization looking to move away from a reactive, fire-fighting response to security challenges, to an approach that addresses the challenges of balancing security and risk with business agility. Download your copy here . Schedule a demo Related Articles 2025 in review: What innovations and milestones defined AlgoSec’s transformative year in 2025? AlgoSec Reviews Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Navigating Compliance in the Cloud AlgoSec Cloud Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read 5 Multi-Cloud Environments Cloud Security Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Speak to one of our experts Speak to one of our experts Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Schedule a call